Archaeological Excavations in Rome's Imperial Fora Reveal New Section

Excavations along Via Alessandrina in Rome have concluded, uncovering a new portion of Trajan's Forum and improving the legibility of the central archaeological area. The project, funded by a €1 million donation from the Republic of Azerbaijan, aimed to reunify the fragmented urban fabric, restore monuments where possible, and remove knowledge barriers. Key finds include a marble head of Dionysus, a monumental portrait head of Augustus (43 cm tall, likely from a statue over 2 meters), and fragments of a frieze decorated with weapons—both Roman and Dacian—symbolizing peace. These artifacts will be permanently housed at the Museum of the Imperial Fora in Trajan's Markets. The excavation also revealed remains of medieval houses. The collaboration between Italy and Azerbaijan began with a 2005 agreement and was formalized in 2014 during President Ilham Aliyev's visit. The project was presented by Claudio Parisi Presicce, Director of the Archaeological and Artistic Museums of the Capitoline Superintendence, and Mammad Ahmadzada, Ambassador of Azerbaijan. The former mayor Ignazio Marino, who sought international patronage for Rome, was not mentioned during the presentation.